Access ZimaOS Shared Folders from CachyOS Without Guest Access

You do not need to leave a ZimaOS shared folder open to guest access just because Dolphin on CachyOS does not automatically ask for a username and password. The November 2025 IceWhale Community thread started with exactly that problem: ZimaOS 1.5.1 shares were visible only when guest access was enabled, while authenticated shares did not appear normally in Dolphin.

The replies eventually produced two different solutions. One user enabled SSH on ZimaOS and connected with sftp://, which worked but bypassed Samba entirely. Another CachyOS user installed the Samba client components, created credentials, and mounted the ZimaOS share through CIFS/fstab. Current ZimaOS also has multi-user Samba sharing, so the better long-term answer is to create a ZimaOS member account for the share and connect from CachyOS with those credentials. Use SFTP as a separate fallback when you intentionally want SSH-based file access.

Create a Password-Protected Samba Share in ZimaOS

Current ZimaOS supports member-based Samba permissions. In the Files app, select the folder you want to share and use the Samba sharing controls to assign a member rather than enabling unrestricted guest access.

The current ZimaOS Samba multi-user guide describes the current model:

• Create or select a member account.
• Assign that member to the shared folder.
• Choose read-only or read-and-write permission.
• Save the share and copy the connection address ZimaOS provides.

The username and password used by CachyOS should be the credentials of the ZimaOS Samba member that has permission to the share. They are not automatically the Linux login credentials of the CachyOS computer.

Why Dolphin May See ZimaOS but Not Ask for Credentials

The original author could discover the ZimaOS server from CachyOS but not browse protected shares. A second user reported the same behavior in March 2026: macOS and Windows could authenticate, while CachyOS showed the server but did not present a useful credential prompt.

That symptom can occur when the Linux client has discovery support but does not have the complete SMB/KIO/CIFS client stack installed or configured. Seeing a server icon in Dolphin proves network discovery is working; it does not prove that authenticated SMB access is fully configured.

Test the ZimaOS Credentials Before Troubleshooting Dolphin

Before building a permanent mount, test whether the server accepts the member credentials. On an Arch/CachyOS-style system with smbclient installed, list the shares with:

smbclient -L ZIMAOS_LAN_IP -U ZIMAOS_MEMBER_NAME

Enter the ZimaOS member password when prompted. If the protected shares appear, the ZimaOS Samba service and credentials are working. The remaining problem is on the CachyOS client side rather than the ZimaOS share itself.

Connect from Dolphin with an Authenticated SMB URL

Instead of opening only the automatically discovered server icon, enter the share explicitly in Dolphin's location bar:

smb://ZIMAOS_MEMBER_NAME@ZIMAOS_LAN_IP/SHARE_NAME

Dolphin/KIO should then request the password for that user if it is not already stored. If it still falls back to anonymous access or never prompts, test the same credentials with smbclient and use a CIFS mount to separate a Dolphin/KIO problem from a Samba authentication problem.

Avoid embedding the password directly into a URL that may be stored in shell history, screenshots, or logs.

Mount the ZimaOS Share with CIFS

For a predictable Linux mount, install cifs-utils and create a local mount point. The Arch Linux Samba documentation, which is relevant to CachyOS because CachyOS is Arch-based, supports authenticated CIFS mounting.

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/zima-share
sudo mount -t cifs //ZIMAOS_LAN_IP/SHARE_NAME /mnt/zima-share \
  -o username=ZIMAOS_MEMBER_NAME,vers=3.1.1

The command should prompt for the password rather than placing it directly in shell history. If your environment negotiates SMB automatically, an explicit vers=3.1.1 may not be required.

For current Linux Samba client behavior, see the ArchWiki Samba guide.

Use a Protected Credentials File for Persistent Mounts

If you want the ZimaOS share to mount automatically, do not put a plaintext password directly into /etc/fstab. Create a root-readable credentials file instead:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/samba/credentials
sudo nano /etc/samba/credentials/zima-share

Store:

username=ZIMAOS_MEMBER_NAME
password=YOUR_ZIMAOS_MEMBER_PASSWORD

Then protect it:

sudo chown root:root /etc/samba/credentials/zima-share
sudo chmod 600 /etc/samba/credentials/zima-share

An /etc/fstab entry can reference that file:

//ZIMAOS_LAN_IP/SHARE_NAME /mnt/zima-share cifs credentials=/etc/samba/credentials/zima-share,_netdev,nofail,x-systemd.automount,vers=3.1.1 0 0

Test it with sudo mount -a before rebooting.

The Community SFTP Workaround Uses SSH, Not Samba

The first successful workaround in the thread was different. The user enabled SSH in ZimaOS, then entered:

sftp://ZIMAOS_USERNAME@ZIMAOS_LAN_IP

This worked because SFTP runs over SSH and does not depend on Samba discovery or SMB credentials. The user noted that additional drives could be found by showing hidden files in Dolphin with Ctrl + H and navigating toward the mounted media paths.

Current ZimaOS makes SSH easier to enable through Developer Mode. See the current ZimaOS SSH guide.

However, SFTP is not equivalent to a ZimaOS Samba member share. An SSH account can expose a broader view of the server filesystem than a Samba share that is intentionally limited to one folder.

When to Use SMB and When to Use SFTP

CachyOS to ZimaOS Authenticated Share Checklist

1. Create a ZimaOS Samba member with a password.
2. Assign that member to the target shared folder.
3. Keep guest access disabled if anonymous access is not wanted.
4. Install the required Samba/CIFS client packages on CachyOS.
5. Test the account with smbclient -L ZIMAOS_IP -U USERNAME.
6. Try smb://USERNAME@ZIMAOS_IP/SHARE in Dolphin.
7. If Dolphin still fails, test mount.cifs.
8. For persistent access, store credentials in a protected file rather than directly in fstab.
9. Use SFTP only when SSH-style access is acceptable.

ZimaOS and CachyOS SMB FAQ

Do I need to enable guest access for CachyOS?

No. Current ZimaOS supports member-based Samba sharing, and CachyOS can authenticate through Samba/CIFS with the member credentials.

Why does Dolphin show ZimaOS but never ask for a password?

Discovery and authenticated SMB browsing are separate functions. Test the Samba/CIFS client tools first, then connect to the protected share explicitly.

Is sftp:// the same as the ZimaOS SMB share?

No. SFTP uses SSH. It can be a useful fallback, but it follows the SSH account's filesystem permissions rather than the ZimaOS Samba share's member permissions.

Can I auto-mount the ZimaOS share when CachyOS starts?

Yes. A CIFS entry in fstab or a systemd automount can use a protected credentials file.

Should I put my ZimaOS password directly in /etc/fstab?

No. A dedicated credentials file with restrictive permissions is safer.